DG Visits IAT Kiosk

Deputy Governor, Hon. Franz Manderson, Cert. Hon., JP, visited the Immigration Appeals Tribunal kiosk on the ground floor of the Government Administration Building to see and experience the enhanced public service being offered. The Deputy Governor recently challenged civil servants to improve customer service standards. During his visit, he met with the staff who provide face-to-face service including answering queries from persons wishing to appeal decisions of the various Immigration Boards.

Prior to the opening of the kiosk, complaints were sometimes received from customers who would come to the main front desk to drop off documents or to make an inquiry and secretaries were not available to come downstairs and speak directly with them. On occasions, walk-in customers would have to wait for extended periods of time before a secretary was available.

Therefore, to address these concerns, the secretaries proposed the setup of a kiosk on the ground floor which could provide customers with direct access to a secretary. These efforts have eliminated waiting times and significantly improved customer relations. Additionally, one of the secretaries has developed an informational brochure which sets out the process and guidance for filing appeals.

"We recognise that in the Cayman Islands, we are a very people-oriented culture; consequently, customers feel better when they can speak face to face to relevant authorities," Cabinet Secretary and Chief Officer, Mr. Samuel Rose, JP, explained.

Customers can submit their appeals including the requisite notice of appeal along with the required documents such as the letter from Immigration and a non-refundable fee of $1,000. They can also check on the status of their appeals at the kiosk.

"This is an exceptional example of a government entity raising its customer service standards and meeting the expectations of the clients," the Deputy Governor said. "More importantly, it is a great example of two government departments working together and sharing information, which will ultimately benefit customer service and the performance of both departments," he added.

The departments involved are Immigration and the Immigration Appeals Tribunal Secretariat which share database access in order to provide a more efficient service. The Immigration Appeals Tribunal Secretariat under the Cabinet Office provides administrative support to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal.

The kiosk is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday (except public holidays) from 10 am to 2 pm.